Commutator notching machine



Aug. 17, 1937. E, POOLE 2,090,151

COMMUTATOR NOTGHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1935 ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheetl Aug. 17, 1937. 1.. E. POOLE 2,090,151

COMMUTATOR NOTCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 23, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. ll? 1937 ors n of Delaware .dr'zzlcaticnFebruary 23, 1935, Serial No. 7,755

13 Qlairns.

This invention relates to sawing devices and more particularly to adevice for sawing notches into the segments of a commutator forreceiving the leads of armature coils.

It is among the objects of the present invention automatically to indexa commutator so as to present consecutive commutator segments to arotary saw.

It is another object of the present invention 16 automatically tooscillate the rotary saw in alternation with the indexing of thecommutator so as to cut notches into consecutive commutator bars.

It is another object of present invention automatically to stop furtherindexing of the commutator and oscillation of the saw after all segmentsof a commutator have been notched.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following 29 description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a device embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device, certain parts being shown insection, the section being taken on the line of Fig. 5.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 5-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the device, certain parts being shown insection, the section being taken substantially on the line 2-5 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 5- 6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is a section taken on the line 'l-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 8-43 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 2.

The present device is adapted to saw a notch into each segment ill of acommutator ii, the notches being adapted to receive the leads ofarmature coils after assembly of the commutator with an armature.Generally this device com 50 prises a chuck A for gripping a commutator52,

an intermittently oscillating, rotating saw B for cutting notches intothe commutator segments It, a commutator indexing mechanism 0 forpresenting consecutive commutator segments ill 55 to the intermittentlyoscillating saw B, and an Poole, Anderson, Ind, assignor to General(lorporation, Detroit, Mich a corporaautomatic stop D for the devicewhen all segments of the commutator have been notched by the saw.

Chuck A With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 7, a main frame so, ismounted in any suitable manner on a work bench or other support 22, isprovided with aligned bushings 25 in which a cylindrical. member 26 isjournaled. Mounted on a reduced portion 28 of member 26 is a disc 3-18which is further secured to member 26 by one or more screws 32. Member26 is held longitudinally immovable in frame 2P3 by means of a shoulder3d of said member and disc 30, as can be readily understood. Member 26is provided with an annular recess 36, receiving the shank 38 of amember ill, secured in said annular recess 38 by means of a set screw42. Member id is centrally recessed as at M and has secured therein bymeans of a set screw 46 a sleeve 38. the upper portion of which islongitudinally split several times so as to provide two or morecommutator gripping jaws 50. These jaws are provided with taperedsurfaces 52, adapted to cooperate with the tapered end 5 3 of a bar 50which passes through sleeve 48 and member til and is threadedly receivedat its lower end by a collar 58 which is slidable in recess 36.Interposed between the shank 38 of member l and a washer (ill is acompression spring which normally urges bar 56 in the direction of arrowM in Fig. 1, whereby the tapered end lid of said bar spreads the jaws tointo clamping engagement with the interior, annular wall 66 of acommutator 82. A rod 68 passes through the cylindrical member 26 and isaxially aligned with bar 56. This rod 58 carries at its lower end aplunger 7Q, cooperating with one end of a foot pedal "it which isfulcrumed at M. The gravity of rod 63, plunger it and foot pedal '52urges the same into the position disclosed in Fig. 7 as can be readilyunderstood. If the operator desires to remove a commutator from thechuck A, he merely steps on foot pedal l2, thereby raising rod 68 andbar against the tendency of spring 62 whereby the tapered end 54 of bar64 is moved out of engagement with the jaws 5i! whereupon the lattercontract into their natural, unstrained position relative to each otherand release the commutator 12 which is then free to be raised from thejaws. be deposited on the chuck A by bringing the commutator intoengagement with a hardened Another commutator may then steel locator 16which is mounted on sleeve 48. This locator 16 is furthermore providedwith a plurality of fingers 18 which are adapted to support thecommutator on the segments thereof without, however, interfering withthe oscillating saw B while notching segments. I8. Also prior to thegripping of a commutator by the jaws 58, i. e. before the operatorreleases the foot pedal 12, he aligns one of the segments I8 of a'commutator with an index finger 80 which extends from a bracket 82,suitably attached to the main frame 20. By thus aligning a segment withthe index finger 80, the saw B cuts a notch I8d into another segment I0of the commutator in the center between two side walls 84 of saidsegment.

intermittently oscillating, rotating saw B.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, a standard 86 ismounted in any suitable manner on main frame and supports one end of asleeve 82 which is journaled on a stub shaft 94, one end of which issupported by the main frame 28 as at 86. Mounted on the sleeve 82 is anoscillating frame 98, provided With spaced anti-friction bearings I00 inwhich a shaft I82 is journaled. This shaft carries at one end a saw I04and is provided at the other end with an extension I06 which isjournaled in an antifriction bearing 568, provided by the head IIO of agenerally tubular frame I I2. This head H0 is journaled on theoscillating frame 98 as at H4 and retained thereon by means of nuts II6,threadedly received by the shaft extension I06 and retaining theanti-friction bearing I 08 in engagement with a shoulder N8 of said headIIU. Frame II 2 is furthermore guided for limited rotation about theaxis of shaft I02 in a plane at right angles thereto by means of a cageII9 which issecured in any suitable manner to the standard 98 andslidably engaged at two 0pposite sides by two flat walls I2I of saidframe I I 2. Mounted on shaft I02 intermediate the two bearings H8 is apulley I20 which is driven by a belt I22, partly covered by a guardI22ct and passing below the support 22 as indicated in Fig. 1 and beingdriven by any suitable power means such as an electric motor (notshown). Although frame 98 is slightly, oscillated as Will v be describedpresently nevertheless the belt I22 is in constant driving engagementwith the pulley I28 since the belt is sufficiently elastic to adaptitself to slight variations in the distance between the driving anddriven pulley as caused by the slight oscillation of the frame 98.Pulley I20 is continuously driven, wherefore the saw I84 is continuouslyrotated.

Referring to Fig. 2, there is Shown a shaft I26 which is journaled inanti-friction bearings I28 of the main frame 28 and in a sleeve I88,provided by standard 98. Mounted on shaft I26 is a cam I82, cooperatingwith an anti-friction roller I34 (see Fig. 3), carried by a bar I86which is axially adjustably carried by a boss I38 of an arm I 48,integral with oscillating frame 98. Pivoted at I42 to the arm I46 is arod I44 which passes through a stationary lug I46 and is normally urgedto the right as viewed in Fig. 3 by means of a compression spring I48,thereby normally'tending to rotate the oscillating frame 98counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 3.

commutator indexing mechanism 0 With particular reference to Figs. 2, 4,5 and 7 to 9 inclusive, the disc 30 carries as many equi- .angularlyspaced pins I58 as there are segments to a commutator I2. Mounted onshaft I26 is a drum I 52, having a peripheral cam groove I54 Whichcomprises a spiral groove portion I56, merging into an angular grooveportion I58 which terminates into .another spiral groove portion I60,parallel to groove portion I56. In one angular position of the drum I52,the end faces I62 thereof fit between twopins I50a and I580, while thepin I582) therebetween projects into the annular groove portion I58.Upon rotation of the drum I52 in the direction of arrow I64 in Fig. 9pin I58a is guided into the spiral groove portion I56 due to the cammingaction of the spiral groove portion I 60 upon pin I522) as can bereadily understood. By the time pin 150a. reaches the annular grooveportion I58, pin I521) has just left the spiral groove portion I 60, andwhen pin I500 leaves the annular groove portion I58 under the carnmingaction of spiral groove portion I60, another pin I 58 will have beenmoved into the spiral groove portion I56. While a pin I50 projects intothe annular groove portion I58 of the rotating drum I52, no rotation ofdisc 36 or of the chuck A takes place as can be readily understood.notation of the disc 38 and thereby of chuck A takes place only while apin I56 cooperates with the spiral groove portion I60. Therefore, thedrum I52 may be continuously rotated because only during a certain cycleof one revolution 9 thereof the cam disc 36 is rotated an angulardistance equal to that between two consecutive pins I50, whereas duringthe remaining cycle of one revolution of the drum I52 the saw carryingframe 98 is oscillated so as to cut a notch I0a into one of the segmentsI0 of the commutator I2.

Shaft I26 is continuously driven by the rotating shaft I02 in a mannerto be described presently. Rotatably mounted in the substantiallytubular frame H2 (see Figs. 2, 4 and 5) is a shaft I10, one end of whichcarries a bevel gear I12 which is in constant mesh with .another bevelgear I14, mounted on the shaft extension I06. The other end of shaft I10is provided with a worm I16 (see Fig. 5) which meshes with a worm gearI18, drivingly connected with shaft I26 in a manner to be describedlater. Projecting from the standard is a stub-shaft I88 on which isjournaled a roller I82, adapted to engage a steel wear-plate I84,secured in any suitable manner to the tubular frame I I2. er I86normally urges the lower end of the tubular frame H2 and moreparticularly the wear piece I84 thereof into engagement with the rollerI82. The roller I82 is so located that upon engagement with the wearplate I84, worm I16 is in proper mesh with worm gear I18. It is evidentthat during oscillation of the saw carrying frame 68 the tubular frameII2 has slight axial component reciprocations, resulting inreciprocations of the wear plate I84 relative to roller I82 which are,however, so short that the resulting slight bodily movements of worm I16toward and away from worm gear I18do not adversely influence the propercooperation between worm I16 and worm gear I18. In this manner, shaftI26 which carries the indexing.

cam I52 is continuously rotated by the saw carrying shaft I82 throughintermediation of bevel gears I14, I12, shaft I10, worm I16 and worm 2gear I 18. Oscillation of the saw carrying frame 98 result, as alreadyexplained, in slight axial component reciprocations of the tubular frameH2. Such reciprocations of frame II2 result in slight longitudinalmovements of the worm I16 A spring urged plungwhich are naturallytransmitted to the worm gear I18 and alternately slow down and speed uprotation of said worm gear. Due to the very slight oscillation of thesaw carrying frame, the continuous change in the rotary speed of theworm gear I'iil is so slight that it cannot be noticed and consequentlyhas no adverse influence upon the proper operation of the device.

Automatic stop D With particular reference to Figs. 2 and 8, the wormgear I'iB is loosely mounted on shaft I26 and provided with clutch teethI99, adapted to cooperate with corresponding clutch teeth I92 of aclutch member Hi l which is splined at I96 to a reduced portion I93 ofshaft 226. A portion of shaft I26 is internally recessed at W9 andreceives therein a compression spring 2% and a bar 282 which is providedwith a transverse pin 2%, projecting through two diagonally oppositeoblong slots 296 of the reduced shaft portion I98 and secured to theclutch member E94. The compression spring 280 normally urges bar 282toward the left as viewed in Fig. 2, thereby normally urging clutchmember i934 out of engagement with the clutch teeth E98 of worm gearI118. In order to engage clutch member I94 with the clutch teeth I963 ofworm gear 18, a manually operable lever 29B, pivotally mounted at 2m tocage He, is manually rocked whereby the same engages bar and shifts thesame to the right as viewed in Fig. 2, thereby moving the clutch memberI95 into engagement with the clutch teeth l9il of worm gear fit as canbe understood from the foregoing description.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and '7, the disc 30 is provided with an annularrim 2I2 to which is secured a cam disc 25 having a single depression 256in its otherwise cylindrical periphery. Cooperating with this cam discis anti friction roller iii, carried by a longitudinally slidable rod220, fioatingly pivoted at 222 to the clutch actuating lever 2%. Itfollows from Fig. 2 that the compression spring 2% normally urges thelever 2% in a counterclockwise direction and the rod 220 to the right,thereby normally retaining the anti-friction roller H8 in engagementwith the cam disc 214.

It has been earlier explained that the saw carrying shaft 662 iscontinuously rotated, and that shaft K25 is driven from the saw carryingshaft H22 through intermediation of bevel gears I'M, H2, shaft lid, worml'ifi, worm gear H8 and clutch member 5%. While the device is in idlecondition, the roller 2 I8 projects into the depression 2 i t of the camdisc 2 M and the clutch member Hi l is then out of engagement with theteeth IQ? of worm gear H8. In the idle position of the device, cam E32assumes the position shown in 3 in which the saw carrying frame is heldin a position in which the saw is most withdrawn from the chuck A asindicated in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 7, and the indexing cam Hitassumes the position shown in Fig. 9 in which upon renewed rotation ofshaft the chuck A is immediately indexed before the saw carrying frame98 makes its first oscillation. Hence, upon renewed operation of thedevice the depression 2H5 of cam disc 2 it immediately disaligns fromroller 2 I8, permitting the operator to release the clutch actuatinglever 2% immediately after manipulation of the same for a re-start ofthe device. To start the device after a commutator has been removed fromthe chuck and a new commutator has been deposited thereon, the operatorrocks the lever 2G8 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, thereby causingclutch engagement. Since there are as many indexing pins Hid as thereare segments If! to a commutator l2, it is obvious that after onecomplete revolution of the disc 38 all segments of a commutator havebeen notched by the saw IM. Just after the last segment of a commutatorhas been notched, the indexing cam continues its rotation until anindexing pin, pres-- ently projecting into the annular groove portionI58, assumes the position lfillb relative to the rotating cam 52, atwhich time the depression 2N5 of said cam re-aligns with theanti-friction roller 2H8, permitting the same to drop therein under theaction of the compression spring 2533 so that the lever 2% is rockedinto clutch releasing position.

In order to prevent overtravel of the cam shaft I26 after automaticdisengagement of clutch member I84 from the clutch teeth of worm gearI18 so as to maintain an initial angular position of the saw oscillatingcam Hit and the chuck indexing cam I52, a reduced portion 305! of shaftvI26 is provided with a disc 3&2 the periphery of which is engaged by asuitable brake lining 304, of a brake band 386, adjustably clampedagainst the disc periphery by nuts 3% which are threadedly received by abolt 3ft, projecting from the main bracket Eli.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

I claim: I

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of arotatable work-holding, chuck; means for indexing the chuck; a swingingframe;

a rotatable shaft carried by said frame; a cutter L on the shaft;another shaft parallel to the first mentioned shaft and spaced from theaxis of rotation of the frame; means on said other shaftfor oscillatingthe frame; and a driving connection between the two shafts, saidconnection ineluding a third shaft between said two shafts and,

at right angles thereto, and meshing gears on all shafts.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of arotatable work-holding chuck; means for indexing the chuck; a swingingframe; a power rotated shaft carried by said frame; a cutter on theshaft; another shaft parallel to the first mentioned shaft and spacedfromthe axis of rotation of the frame; means on said other shaft foroscillating the frame; and a driving connection between the two shafts,said connection including a third shaft between said two shafts and atright angles thereto, meshing gears on all shafts and a clutch.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of arotatable work-holding chuck; means for indexing the chuck; a swingingframe; a power rotated shaft carried by said frame; a cutter on theshaft; another shaft parallelto the first mentioned shaft and spacedfrom the axis of rotation of the frame; means on said other shaft foroscillating the frame and for operating the indexing means; and adriving connection between the two shafts, said connection including athird shaft between said two shafts at right angles thereto, meshinggears on all shafts and a clutch.

4. In a device of the character described, the

combination of a rotatable work-holding chuck,

axis of rotation of the frame;

means for indexing the chuck; a swinging frame; a power rotated shaftcarried by said frame; a cutter on the shaft; another shaft parallel tothe first mentioned shaft and spaced from the means on said frame-andfor a driving consaid connection other shaft for oscillating theoperating the indexing means; nection between the two shafts,

including a third shaft between said two shafts.

angles to said other shaft, the other end of said member being guidedfor movement in said plane; a driving connection between both shafts,

said connection including a shaft in the mem-' her and carrying a worm,and a worm gear on said other shaft; an anti-friction roller the axis ofwhich is'located in a plane which is rectangular to the shaft in themember and in which the axis of the worm gear lies; and a spring urgedplunger urging the member away from the worm gear and into engagementwith the roller in which position the worm is in proper mesh with theworm gear.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of arotatable chuck for holding a commutator; an oscillatable and powerrotated tool for cutting notches into the segments of the commutator;means for indexing the chuck to present consecutive commutator segmentsto the tool; rotary means for operating the indexing means; a drivingconnection between the power rotated tool and said rotary means, saidconnection including a clutch; means for automatically disengaging theclutch after all segments of the commutator have been notched; and meanspermanently frictionally braking rotation of'said rotary means. i

'7. In a device of the character described, the combination of arotatable disc; equi-angularly spaced projections carried by the disc,and. a rotatable cam adapted to cooperate with consecutive projectionsin order to index the disc.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of arotatable disc; equi-angularly spaced pins projecting from the disc; anda rotatable drum having a peripheral cam groove adapted to cooperatewith consecutive pins in .the latter in clutch engaging position whilecoorder to index the disc. I

9. In a device of the character described the combination of a rotatabledisc; equi-angularly spaced pins projecting from the disc; and arotatable drum having a peripheral cam groove adapted to cooperate withconsecutive pins, said spaced pins projecting from the disc; and a ro-'tatable drum having a peripheral cam groove adapted to cooperate withconsecutive pins, said camgroove being composed of a spiral grooveportion merging into another groove portion lying in a plane at rightangles to the drum axis and a second spiral groove portion parallel tothe first said spiral groove portion and merging from said other grooveportion, the distance between the two spiral groove portions and theircoordination being such that two consecutive pins may be simultaneouslyreceived therein and moved thereby upon rotation of the drum.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of arotatable disc; equi-angularly spaced pins projecting from the disc; anda rotatable drum having a peripheral cam groove adapted to cooperatewith consecutive pins, said cam groove being composed of two oppositeparallel spiral groove portions joined midway between the entrances toboth groove portions by another groove portion lying in a plane at rightangles to the drum axis, the entrances to the spiral groove portionsbeing aligned in the direction of the drum axis and spaced apart adistance substantially equal to the clearance between two pins which areconsecutive to a third pin therebetween.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of arotatable workholding chuck; means for indexing the chuck; anoscilllatable and power rotated tool for notching the work;

rotary means for operating the indexing means and'for oscillating thetool; a driving connection between the tool and the rotarymeans, saidconnection including a normally disengaged clutch; a manually operableclutch engaging arm; and means including a cam carried by the chuck forretaining said arm in clutch engaging position for one revolution of thechuck.

13 In a device of the character described, the combination of arotatable work-holding chuck; means for indexing the chuck; anoscillatable and power rotated tool for notching the work; rotary meansfor operating the indexing means and for oscillating the tool; a drivingconnection between the tool and the rotary means, said connectionincluding a normally disengaged clutch; a manually operable clutchengaging arm; a cam disc having a single depression in its otherwiseconcentric periphery and being carried by the chuck; and a linkcooperating with the cam pe-' riphery and connected to the arm forretaining operating with the concentric portion of the cam periphery,and controlling clutch disengagement when cooperating with the camdepression.

L. E; POOLE.

